Russian retailer Vkusvill has announced the launch of nationwide delivery from its darkstore in Moscow with two partners for products with long shelf life, in an effort to reach consumers in more far-flung locations.
A high-end retailer and food producer, VkusVill operates more than 1,300 shops across 62 Russian cities and was one of several Russian companies considering an initial public offering (IPO) this year before the conflict in Ukraine thwarted such ambitions.
Partnering with Boxberry and Pochta, Vkusvill said more than 1,255 goods, including health and beauty products and groceries, would be available for nationwide delivery.
Online Delivery Market
Russia's online delivery market is highly fragmented, with various firms competing for market share. Sanctions against Moscow over Russia's actions in Ukraine have hampered supply and logistics chains, particularly for goods from abroad.
Vkusvill has over 120 darkstores - dedicated warehouses that cater only to online clients - and handles more than 170,000 online orders every day.
Last summer, VkusVill expanded its delivery offering for prepared meals to include hot food. It added a new section – Sgoryacha – to its catalogue, visible to customers within the delivery zone.
The hot meals provided by the company are prepared in dark kitchens, where professional chefs prepare food for delivery services.
In February of this year, the Russian health food brand and food tech company opened its first cashierless store in Moscow as part of a pilot project in association with AI-based technology solutions provider Neurus.
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